“Quit wishing you were taller, had a better personality, or looked like somebody else. You’ve been painted by the most incredible painter there could ever be,” said Lakewood Church’s senior pastor. “When God created you, He stepped back and looked, said that was good, another masterpiece. … Somewhere on you, there’s a tag that says ‘Made by almighty God.'”

Source: Lakewood Church website

Citing Ephesians 2:10 — which states that “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” — Osteen encouraged viewers to consider their height, build, personality, and nationality as something that God-the-Painter designed on purpose. If one needed to be taller to fulfill one’s destiny, for example, God would have made that person taller, he added.

“You are not ordinary. You didn’t come off an assembly line. You weren’t mass-produced,” Osteen said. “You are one-of-a-kind. Nobody in this world has your fingerprints.”

In his argument for worshipers as original works of art, Osteen harkens back to several unfashionable aesthetic views.

German critic Walter Benjamin’s 1936 essay collection, “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” suggested that an individual painting or sculpture has a particular “presence” or “aura” which is not a part of the experience of mass-produced art like prints, for example. That’s why thieves ignore the Monet postcards in the gift shop en route to trying to get their hands on an actual Monet painting.

But Osteen still clung to a more traditional view of art in two autobiographical stories he shared in his sermon. As a young man watching a sunset in India, Osteen said he had a conversation with God, in which he was asked about God’s best work of art. No doubt, it was the sunset, Osteen said, but God disagreed. Osteen then guessed the Rocky Mountains, the solar system, or the Milky Way. “He said, ‘No Joel, my most prized possession — the painting that I’m the most proud of is you,'” Osteen said. “Friends, you are God’s most prized possession.”

Picasso. Seated Woman. 1962/MFA Houston

By reminding themselves that they are extremely valuable creations in God’s image — each of whom can say, “I’ve got the fingerprints of God all over me” — worshipers can rid themselves of thoughts of low self-esteem and inferiority, Osteen said. He illustrated that point with a second story.

At a friend’s house, Osteen was unimpressed by the artwork hanging on the wall, which he described as child-like, “very abstract, modern, paint thrown here and there.” When the host told him one of the paintings, which was a Picasso, had cost more than $1 million alone, Osteen changed his mind. “I looked at it again,” he said, “[and] thought, ‘Wow that is beautiful, isn’t it?'”

That day, Osteen decided the value of a work had more to do with the creator — such as Picasso or God — than it did with how the painting looked. “Now don’t criticize what God has painted,” he said.

But that line of argument begs an important question. To say that a Picasso is valuable for its creator, rather than the quality of the work, ignores the fact that Picasso-the-painter became important due to the value of his paintings, as well as the values that many scholars have attributed to those works themselves.

If even less-than-brilliant and not-quite-beautiful Christians should take comfort in the fact that they’ve been made by God, the best artist, wouldn’t God be subject to the same kind of art criticism as a creator that Picasso is? And however heretical it might sound, wouldn’t it be possible then — given the diversity of God’s creations — that Picasso might fare better in the analysis?

“If even less-than-brilliant and not-quite-beautiful Christians should take comfort in the fact that they’ve been made by God, the best artist, wouldn’t God be subject to the same kind of art criticism as a creator that Picasso is? And however heretical it might sound, wouldn’t it be possible then — given the diversity of God’s creations — that Picasso might fair better in the analysis?”

Does that mean you finally admit that God created gays? Or are you still making up lies ?

The scriptures refer to the inner man, not the outward appearance that Joel and his wife are consumed with. They must feel and thus think that everyone wants to be them. Their egos are much too nursed.

If even less-than-brilliant and not-quite-beautiful Christians should take comfort in the fact that they’ve been made by God, the best artist, wouldn’t God be subject to the same kind of art criticism as a creator that Picasso is? And however heretical it might sound, wouldn’t it be possible then — given the diversity of God’s creations — that Picasso might fair better in the analysis?

Or, as it is written in my favorite biblical passage, “Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job 4:17)

The main point of art criticism I’d like to lay out is the absolute absurdity of our design. What kind of an idiot puts in a positive feedback loop with no upper termination (e.g., sugar and fat in our diets)? And what blithering imbecile runs a sewer pipe through a playground?

It’s an interesting inspirational speech, but it entirely misses the point of the scriptures he used to make it (which is, overall, the reason why Lakewood shouldn’t be considered a “church” or Osteen a “pastor”). Isaiah 45:9 isn’t about artistic beauty, it’s a portion of a longer series of rhetorical questions that God is asking of the Isrealites about their lack of faith. Ephesians 2:10 is part of a larger description (the first three chapters, to be exact) of the foundational pillars of christianity, the central premise of which is: you were saved by grace through faith (in other words, everything you have, including your life, was a gift from God, even your faithfulness was a gift). Those two passages could be tied together to explain how God’s gift of grace and faith transforms us from the Isrealites that were never satisfied with the miracles that God performed for them to the Gentiles that were plucked from poverty and despair to have a seat at the king’s table, clean and righteous despite our continuing faults and failures. Without God’s grace, we couldn’t have faith in him, we couldn’t believe, and thus, we couldn’t be saved. That’s a much more powerful message than “be happy with your body.”

Regardless, there are plenty of scriptures that directly rebut “pastor” Osteen’s message (even in Ephesians, Chapter 2, no less – look at what verse 3 says about living in the passions of our flesh – read: your flesh is very very bad). God is not at all concerned with your satisfaction of your body image. He most certainly doesn’t want you to look in the mirror and be in any way content with your human form. Your human form is precisely the problem, you took something beautiful and blameless, that God himself created, and made it vile and reprehensible. God doesn’t look at your human body and say “that’s great,” he looks at your human body and sees his son because of the redemptive work of Christ. The scriptures repeatedly talk about being “covered over” by the work of Christ. How, then, can one take two random verses that discuss art or handiwork within the Bible and say that God is happy with who you are because he created you? God created us, but that’s exactly half of the story, the other (more significant) half being the reworking, from the inside out, of what he created to form something much better. If God was so happy with his own creation, why do we need Jesus at all? Does Osteen not ask these questions when he’s slapping together a feel-good story of the week?

I didnt think Joel’s choice of Picasso as a comparison was good and the monetary value of his art was not the example he should have used. He likes to joke around and connect with his congregation that way. Picasso is one of God’s masterpieces but let’s not forget that you and I are just as valuable and special as Picasso no matter what his art sells for.

It would be nice if he would learn how to open the Bible and just teach from it, instead of doing gimmicks with art. Or give some of his amassed wealth to the poor and needy and set a better example of Jesus testimony.

Joel and Victoria Osteen have both written books, which sell like hot cakes, as the old saying goes.
That is where their wealth comes from.
Neither one takes any kind of salary from Lakewood.
And they give very generously to charity.

Its really sad how jealous and critical each one of you that posted a negative comment about Joel. And yes god does want us to be happy with how he created us. He created us in his image. And to be like him. Its our hearts that need jesus. Yes god dies look at us and says thats great otherwise he would have created us all to look like jesus. Do we? I doubt it. Theres only one jesus. God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. He judges our hearts. You persecute him and your persecuting Jesus . And you claim to be Christians? I cant even believe that i wasted.my time like all of you did writing a comment on this mess. I love jesus and i believe preacher joel sends out great messages hes helping many people obviously none of you. I’m sorry to hear that. But i pray for all of you. In jesus name. Psalm 2:4

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. (ESV)

This is directed to JJ
Wow….for someone who can explain grace…clearly you don’t know the Savior personally to lack it in your life as you would dare open your mouth against a servant of God and question his calling and his churches integrity. Its always small unproductive, unsaved individuals with petty arguements profound as you may wish to seem. With all that insight ever wonder why Joel Was called to minister WHATEVER HE WISHES TO SPEAK ON, AND HOW, and you’re here, posting your pouting. Your jealousy is showing. LEARN NOW HOW TO PRAY/HUMBLE YOURSELF. JESUS LOVES YOU:)